Goals and Success - How to Bridge the Gap

What are your goals? Pretty big question, right? You've got goals in your professional life, your personal life, every aspect of life you have goals. You have to or what would be the point. If someone says they don't have a goal in something they're wrong and just haven't thought about it enough. Goals, either conscious or subconscious, exist in everything. And they can be big or small, long-term or short-term. The great thing about goals is that YOU set them and they can be as ambitious or un-ambitious as you let them. Goals are great but they have one shortfall. They have a propensity to get neglected in day-to-day life. People set goals but then they see them as a far off thing, something that can be put off until tomorrow because such and such an issue is perceived to be more pressing. Do not let things that matter least take precedence over the things that matter most. Set your goals accordingly.

So what are your goals? And what have you done today to achieve them? Here's an easy way to get going with your goals: WRITE THEM DOWN! If you haven't heard the statistic already here it is again: Goals are 85% more likely to get accomplished when they are put down in writing. Why does writing them down help so much? Well, when I asked you what your goals were you probably had to think for a bit, had a few conflicting ideas, maybe had a few things pop into your head that aren't really your goals, just ideas. When you sit down, spend some quality time to think about your goals, and then write them down you no longer waste your brain on thinking of your goals on the fly. You see your goals and you can spend your time taking steps toward them rather than taking steps towards formulating them. Write them down, get to work. If it's set in ink it's a contract with yourself.

Now that you've written down your goals what's next? Well, you're going to need to put them in a place where they don't get lost and where you see them often. It's not enough just to see them though. Adjusting your life to be more goal oriented can be difficult but it is important and there's one easy way to do it. Whenever an opportunity, idea, proposition, anything comes up ask yourself "Is this the best use of my time and energy right now? How is it a) consistent with my goals and b) moving me closer to achieving them?" Now it's just a matter of comparing your goals to the opportunity or idea in front of you. Which goal is it moving you closer to? Are there other ways to move closer to that goal that might be more effective or efficient? Now that the question of what is out of the way you can start answering the question of how. Write them down, keep them close, be accountable to them in your decision making.

Copyright (c) 2009 Benjamin Glass

BEN GLASS is a Fairfax, Virginia attorney, small business owner, and independent business advisor (IBA). Ben hosts monthly meetings for entrepreneurs to help them get the most out of their businesses. Visit http://www.Glazer-Kennedy-Virginia.com or call 877-IBA-GKIC (877-422-4542) to come to his next meeting for free and receive a free book.